Trash piles spark health concerns at south Jackson apartments, residents plead for help

A city councilman, state lawmakers and nonprofit organizations are coming together to mobilize as they plead for help to clean a south Jackson apartment complex where two piles of trash are growing and prompting concerns about public health.“It’s a health issue,” said Ernest Ward, president of the Association of South Jackson Neighborhoods. “All of us have to get concerned about what’s going on in different areas in the city of Jackson.”WAPT first reported the garbage problems at Chapel Ridge Apartments on Raymond Road two weeks ago after Ward complained about the issue that tenants say has been on and off for years. “I feel sorry for the people who stay on the side who have to walk outside their home with kids that are playing outside in their yard and have to face this every single day (while) trying to go to school,” resident Kevin Hatches said. Hatches was on hand Tuesday when several advocacy groups, including Medgar Evers Reloaded and Reset Jackson, gathered near the mound of trash for a news conference to talk about getting the trash removed as quickly as possible.“I mean, if anybody can help us with donations or dumpsters or anything,” said Bryon Brumfield with the Medgar Evers group. “We can’t fix the problem until we can figure out what’s going on. We came out here today to try to figure some things out.”One state lawmaker reached out to the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality, and Ward has even contacted Richard’s Disposal, the city’s residential garbage collection company.Ward 5 Councilman Vernon Hartley told 16 WAPT News that since the problem is on private property, the city can’t use taxpayer dollars to remove the trash.“However, if the city administration will look at it as an emergency, I’m sure they can step in and have this removed — cleaned up and removed,” Hartley said.At this point it’s unclear who’s managing the apartment complex.“There is no management. I think we haven’t heard anything,” Hatches said. “The people that are over here, they haven’t heard anything.”A note on the door of the leasing office says the management company, Lynd Management, no longer operates the propertyThe note also says, “We are unsure who will take over daily operations at this time. We advise all tenants to hold onto their rent.”State Rep. Grace Butler-Washington says the MDEQ plans to fine the management company for illegal dumping.